Wilde West 19
9:33:08 PM Khiro: So, Kate had left Ebenezer's place! SCANDALOUS. 9:34:03 PM Josie: Josie had, and she was going to go back and interview Chuck. 9:34:23 PM Khiro: Okay! He's at the doctor's office, still. 9:35:09 PM Khiro: STatler's tehre, too, along with Doc Preston. Apparently the deputies brought the Emery brothers' bodies back, too. 9:36:22 PM Josie: Hey. ... sorry I'm so late. Stopped in to see if Mr. Dingo's translatin' got done an' fell asleep right there. 9:37:13 PM Khiro: Statler: No harm, no foul. Pres is goin' over the Emery boys and I just got done talkin' to Chuck here. 9:38:41 PM Josie: Josie nods. 9:38:57 PM Josie: Anythin' useful? Won't repeat the askin' if you already done it. 9:41:47 PM Khiro: STatler: Boy was ridin' along, his horse got shot, he fell off, he got yanked off the saddle and beat on a bit. Woke up a bit later to a gunshot, heard the Emery boys coughing and hacking and moaning, then they went quiet, and next thing he knows is you wakin' him up. 9:42:06 PM Josie: Josie nods, looking at Chuck. 9:42:21 PM Josie: You hear anythin' at all before or after the shot? Smell anythin'? 9:42:51 PM Khiro: Chuck: Nothin, sorry Marshal. 9:44:31 PM Josie: S'allright, reckon most folks wouldn't remember wtih the wounds you got. 9:47:37 PM Khiro: Preston is cutting open the shorter Emery. 9:48:58 PM Josie: Anythin' interestin' in there? 9:49:34 PM Khiro: Preston: You ain' gonna like this. 9:49:46 PM Josie: .... yeah? 9:49:56 PM Khiro: Preston: This boy was shot in the arm. 9:50:21 PM Josie: Yeah? 9:51:47 PM Khiro: Preston: He was in pretty bad shape, malnourished. But he didn't bleed out or die of infection. 9:52:01 PM Khiro: Preston digs the bullet out of his arm with some long forceps. 9:53:46 PM Khiro: He drops a silver bullet on a tray. "Look familiar?" 9:55:16 PM Josie: Goddamnit. 9:55:41 PM Josie: Were these fellas human altogether? 9:55:55 PM Khiro: STatler: Far as I know, yeah. 9:56:05 PM Khiro: Preston: They got no markers indicating otherwise. 9:56:24 PM Josie: ... how the hell'd that bullet kill 'em, then? 9:57:05 PM Khiro: Preston: The other one was shot in the chest. Haven't dug it out yet, but I'll bet it's silver, too. And I got no clue. 9:59:15 PM Josie: ... the bullets ain't magic, neither. 10:00:47 PM Khiro: Preston: That's a bit out of my bailiwick to determine, marshal. 10:01:22 PM Josie: Yeah, took the last one to Mr. Rivers, an' it wasn't. Don't expect these are either. 10:01:35 PM Josie: On the other hand, these fellas were killed by the same guy was carryin' the gun. 10:03:35 PM Khiro: Statler: Can't say I like that. Means they're stickin' around. 10:03:47 PM Josie: Means we got one killer 'stead of two. 10:06:06 PM Josie: ... though if it's the fellas I'm thinkin' of, it's the Order of St. George an' there's a whole lot of 'em bent on curin' the world of people who ain't quite human. 10:06:50 PM Josie: But it's far from a sure thing on that. 10:08:33 PM Khiro: Statler: Hmph. 10:09:17 PM Josie: An' if it's them we might have a war on our hands. 10:12:25 PM Khiro: Statler: They wanted a war, they'd be doing more than killing bandits. 10:12:56 PM Josie: Don't rightly know. 10:14:42 PM Josie: .. but it ain't a good thing all the same. 10:14:48 PM Josie: An' I suspect they stole somethin' belongs to me, too. 10:15:23 PM Khiro: STatler: What'd they steal? 10:17:01 PM Josie: I was supposed to get word on a criminal from out east. 10:23:06 PM Khiro: Chuck: I dropped off my mail at the post. You might wanna check with them. 10:23:54 PM Josie: Josie nods. 10:23:56 PM Josie: I'll check. 10:24:08 PM Josie: You remember anythin' else, you let me know, Chuck. An' try an' get well. 10:24:51 PM Khiro: Chuck: I'm not goin' anywhere for a couple weeks, according to the doc, so I'll do that. 10:27:12 PM Josie: Josie tips her hat and heads out to the post office! 10:37:09 PM Khiro: Okay! She finally gets her packet! 10:40:43 PM Josie: Josie opens it eagerly! 10:42:26 PM Khiro: It's a dossier on a fellow named Joshua Winnow. Another of the Viskav gang, another warlock, this one human, though. He was seen leading a small band of guns-for-hire a few towns east of Wilde. 10:44:15 PM Josie: Josie reads it. 10:44:27 PM Josie: ... s'pose it's too much to hope that any of 'em learned anything. 10:45:45 PM Khiro: The office wants him for past crimes, there are no recent crimes on record with Winnow, unlike Fennick. 10:47:19 PM Josie: Hm. 10:47:40 PM Josie: Josie gathers up the dossier and heads back to Statler to see if he knows anything useful. 10:49:36 PM Khiro: Statler has never heard of the guy, but will keep an ear to the ground. 10:49:54 PM Josie: Josie nods. 10:50:05 PM Josie: You all right holdin' the fort while I try an' track down this fella? 10:50:33 PM Khiro: Statler: I'm sure we'll manage, marshal. 10:53:18 PM Josie: ... these St. George types're killers, an' I don't know how many of 'em there are. 10:54:23 PM Josie: Nobody oughtta try to take 'em on alone. 10:55:53 PM Khiro: Statler: Wasn't planning on it. 10:57:52 PM Josie: ... just don't like the idea of leavin' another lawman alone t'face somethin' like that. Well, hopefully it ain't them. 10:58:04 PM Josie: Josie asks how long it'll take to get there! 10:58:09 PM Khiro: Statler: I ain't alone here. 10:58:11 PM Khiro: ((where?)) 11:00:42 PM Josie: ((Where Winnow is!)) 11:02:04 PM Khiro: ((He was last seen a couple weeks ago to the east. They're not sure where he is now.)) 11:02:47 PM Josie: ((Yes, how far was he last seen?)) 11:06:49 PM Josie: (('cause that's where she's gotta go next!)) 11:10:15 PM Khiro: His band was hired by a cattle rancher to drive off some bandits. last they were seen, they were headed east. Just a direction. 11:14:22 PM Josie: Josie ... has no idea what to do next, in that case! 11:18:10 PM Khiro: ((All stuffed uuuuuuup. *whines* )) 11:18:44 PM Josie: ((*stabs your nose!*)) 11:36:12 PM Khiro: ((*whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiines*)) 11:36:38 PM Josie: ((Gaaaaaaaaame.)) 11:36:56 PM Khiro: ((When the burning subsides a little.)) 11:43:19 PM Josie: ((*Burning*? Wennie's lighting fires now?)) 11:44:10 PM Khiro: ((You never had that burny feeling when your sinuses are being all awful?)) 11:44:44 PM Josie: ((Nnnope.)) 11:45:06 PM Khiro: ((I don't recommend it.)) 11:49:32 PM Josie: ((I will bear that in mind!)) 11:51:33 PM Khiro: ((Okay.)) 12:03:34 AM Khiro: A kid comes running up to you! 12:03:48 AM Josie: Hey. 12:04:10 AM Khiro: He's out of breath. "Marshal... reverend... wants ta see ya." 12:04:55 AM Josie: Right. 12:05:09 AM Josie: Josie hands him a whole quarter. A lot of money for this time! 12:05:15 AM Josie: Josie then heads for the church, quickly. 12:06:21 AM Khiro: The kid goes *straight* for the store. CANDYTIME. 12:07:08 AM Khiro: You find him in the chapel! "Marshal. It's come to my attention that you're dealing with the Order of St. George." 12:08:55 AM Josie: Not certain. 12:11:07 AM Khiro: Preacher: You suspect that's the case, though. 12:11:27 AM Josie: Yeah, I do. 12:11:29 AM Josie: What 'bout it? 12:12:03 AM Josie: These folks're blessin' silver an' puttin' it into folks, criminal an' otherwise, too. 12:13:20 AM Khiro: Preacher: Yeah, that sounds like them. They say 'our bullets only kill the evil', shoot to wound, and lo and behold, people die from non-fatal gunshots. 12:13:39 AM Josie: You know 'em? 12:14:08 AM Khiro: Preacher: My father had... dealings with them. 12:17:42 AM Josie: Yeah? 12:18:40 AM Khiro: Preacher: Not pleasant dealings, either. 12:18:44 AM Khiro: He hands you a book! 12:19:11 AM Josie: Josie takes it. 12:19:45 AM Josie: Reckon they'd claim you're corrupt too, on account of havin' extra arms. 12:19:48 AM Khiro: It's called 'The Sons of St. George.' 12:21:38 AM Khiro: Preacher: They did. But when I got ordained, they couldn't touch me anymore. Can't come crusading into town as long as I'm ministering to the flock here, either. They got their own laws. 12:21:59 AM Josie: Huh. Didn't know that. 12:22:06 AM Josie: Then it's you keepin' the town safe. 12:23:09 AM Khiro: Preacher: Well, from them, yeah. You know what my last name is, marshal? Usually no one asks. 12:24:12 AM Josie: What is it? 12:24:24 AM Khiro: He smiles. "Wilde." 12:24:40 AM Josie: ... huh. So your pa mighta been one o' the first? 12:24:57 AM Khiro: Preacher: He founded the town. 12:25:13 AM Khiro: Preacher: Most on account of me, I figure. 12:26:23 AM Khiro: He taps the book he handed you. "That there describes the Order as they were a hundred years ago. Figure it could be useful." 12:27:07 AM Josie: Didn't count on havin' a son with some spare limbs, huh? Sounds like all of us are lucky he did. 12:27:14 AM Khiro: Preacher: Father always said it was a bit fanciful, so take it with a grain of salt. 12:27:22 AM Josie: Josie nods. 12:29:22 AM Khiro: Preacher: It does describe the tenets they operate on. They still follow those laws, to the letter, at least, if not the spirit. 12:34:40 AM Khiro: Preacher: Long as the Church is ministering to the 'unclean', they're off limits. The Order's focus is supposed to be those that aren't already under the Church's auspices. 12:36:18 AM Josie: That bein' who? 12:37:32 AM Khiro: Preacher: Criminals, outlaws, those that live on the fringes or delve into matters that make them a clear threat. 12:38:15 AM Josie: Prob'ly me. 12:38:46 AM Khiro: Preacher: No, I mean, warlocks and necromancers. 12:40:02 AM Khiro: Preacher: Folk like Viskav and his men. 12:43:46 AM Josie: Know at least one person don't fit that description. 12:43:54 AM Josie: An' they tried to kill him too. 12:45:15 AM Khiro: Preacher: Question is... why are they here now? 12:46:45 AM Josie: I got a good idea of the reason, an' he was shot dead at the festival. 12:51:18 AM Josie: My question is how come they're stickin' around. 12:51:53 AM Khiro: Preacher: Indeed. They must have found some reason to. And they've known we're here for some time. 12:52:47 AM Josie: We got to get rid of 'em somehow. 12:57:20 AM Josie: You got any ideas? 12:57:28 AM Josie: Reckon exorcism won't work. Do they parley? 12:57:52 AM Khiro: Preacher: Not without knowing *why* they're here. They might with you. 12:59:22 AM Josie: They were after somethin' the dead man had. An' it's somethin' I'm sure as hell not givin' 'em. 1:00:36 AM Khiro: Preacher: Were they after the man, or what the man had? 1:01:31 AM Josie: Ain't too sure, but he's dead. 1:01:41 AM Josie: An' if they just wanted that they'd not be hangin' around. 1:04:20 AM Khiro: Preacher: Makes sense. 10:41:25 PM Josie: Anythin' 'bout their rules we could use to trip 'em up? 10:43:07 PM Khiro: Preacher: Never did read that book all the way through. They got a list of tenets, minor and major, as long as my arm. All I know is the one that's kept them out of town. 10:44:02 PM Josie: Josie nods. 10:44:11 PM Josie: I'll see what I c'n do 'bout it. 10:45:57 PM Josie: ... you ain't a priest, but I 'spect you don't break confession, 'neither. 10:46:42 PM Khiro: Preacher: No, no I don't. 10:48:28 PM Josie: Well. If you didn't know it before, I'm one o' you too. 10:48:48 PM Khiro: Preacher: One of what? 10:49:11 PM Josie: Not entirely human. 10:49:27 PM Khiro: Preacher: Oh. Well, all right. 10:51:29 PM Josie: So if I get holed with a silver bullet, don't be expectin' me to get up again afterward, is all. 10:51:37 PM Josie: Thanks for the help, Reverend. 10:53:48 PM Khiro: Preacher: So far, one's nature doesn't seem to matter to their bullets, does it? 10:54:10 PM Josie: Can't tell. My plan's to avoid gettin' shot. 10:55:44 PM Khiro: Preacher: Good idea. 10:58:06 PM Josie: Josie tips her hat. "See you around." 10:58:13 PM Josie: Josie heads back to Eben's! 11:00:47 PM Khiro: Okay! He's still there! 11:02:21 PM Josie: Josie holds up the book. 11:02:50 PM Josie: Preacher says we got to stop livin' in sin an' get married or we're goin' to hell. 11:04:07 PM Khiro: He blinks! "And he wrote all that down in that book?" 11:04:16 PM Josie: 'course not. 11:04:40 PM Josie: Book's how long the marriage ceremony'll take. 11:05:55 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I see. I guess we'll need a broomstick. 11:07:15 PM Josie: Josie grins. 11:07:33 PM Josie: Nah, preacher gave me a book on the Order o' St. George. They call it the Sons of St. George, I guess. 11:08:50 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Oh. Handy. 11:10:35 PM Josie: Yep. Mind if I sit an' read in here? 11:12:43 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Of course not. 11:14:35 PM Josie: Josie takes the book, sits down in a quiet nook and starts to read! 11:16:46 PM Khiro: It's a dense book. At least half of it is a genealogy from St. George to... well, people who probably headed the Order up a century ago, when the book was written. 11:17:31 PM Josie: Josie will read the laws first! 11:22:34 PM Khiro: There's a very long list of them. 90% of them are indecipherable/no longer applicable in this modern world. 11:23:46 PM Josie: Josie is, of course, looking for loopholes. 11:33:02 PM Khiro: A good majority of these laws are also mostly about internal bureacracy and rules of order and resolving internal disputes, etc etc... 11:35:36 PM Josie: Josie *does* read all of that. 11:36:38 PM Khiro: It takes awhile. Apparently there is a law stating that women are not allowed to join the order, and that those in the order are not allowed to marry anyone else in the order. Lots of the rules contradict in that sort of way. 11:39:11 PM Josie: Josie thinks that's quite interesting. 11:39:28 PM Josie: Josie thinks they can't possibly obey all the rules--so why are the obeying the one that keeps them out of town? 11:41:25 PM Khiro: Keep in mind that a lot of these laws are most likely old by the time the book was written, and even more are probably no longer in play at this point. Some laws most likely become outdated and dropped. 11:42:34 PM Josie: Josie keeps reading, trying to find loopholes.How do you get inducted? What are the requirements? 11:43:38 PM Khiro: You have to be a confirmed member of the Catholic Church, and have the patronage of another member of the Order. 11:45:30 PM Josie: Josie thinks: That's out, then. 11:45:33 PM Josie: Josie is not Catholic. 11:46:03 PM Josie: Josie tries to figure out what *stops* them from coming after people. 11:52:22 PM Khiro: Well, you do find the law that the Preacher referenced. The Order's bailiwick, according to this old book, are those 'Witchbreed' who exist 'apart from God'. A Witchbred (Their term for supernaturals) who is a member of a church or church community is out of bounds. 11:53:07 PM Khiro: Apparently this was a softening of the previous iteration of these laws, which were much more 'Inquistory'. 11:55:00 PM Josie: Hmph. 11:55:14 PM Josie: Find it hard to believe that Mr. Gun wasn't part of a church. 11:55:59 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm? 11:56:44 PM Josie: Fella with the gun, hard to believe he wasn't part of a church. 'bout everybody is. 11:57:55 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: What does that have to do with anything? 11:58:34 PM Josie: If they're part of a church, the Order can't go after 'em. 11:58:49 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm. 12:01:52 AM Khiro: Well, there are provisos to the tenet, where if the Witchbred in question is involved in unequivically shady business, they're captured and put to the Test of Silver. What the Test of Silver is exactly is not described in the book. But it's implied that the Order sticks or stabs the Witchbred with their blessed, sanctified silver. If the Witchbred dies, they were evil! 12:02:33 AM Josie: ... 'cept they can still stick 'em with silver. 12:06:03 AM Khiro: If the investigation bears out, or they have proof to show their local church authorities and get the go ahead to go after the Witchbred. 12:07:01 AM Josie: Wonder why they went after you... 12:07:49 AM Khiro: Ebenezer: If it was them. There anything about the Order using poisons? 12:08:14 AM Josie: Josie looks. 12:10:51 AM Khiro: Nope! Not in this book. They seem to be very reliant on their silver. 12:11:07 AM Josie: Not in this book, s'mostly silver. 12:11:18 AM Josie: So maybe you just got a lone looney. 12:11:54 AM Khiro: Ebenezer: Lucky me. 12:15:25 AM Josie: Yeah. ... shame, means we don't got two shots at a cure. 12:19:40 AM Khiro: Ebenezer: What would have been wonderfully efficient. 12:20:39 AM Josie: Have to make this shot count. An' if it don't work we'll come up with somethin' else.